Welcome to our November meeting. This month we will have been in existence for 5 years and I can't believe how we have prospered. This is down to all of our members as I think we work really well together. The proof has to be with all the activities on offer. Since the last Newsletter we have had 2 Social events, the first was the Mansfield Male Voice Choir with a "bring our own supper". That was a lovely evening, the singing was superb and they joined us all and chatted among us in the breaks. It was also fascinating as to what everyone had brought for their supper! Then our 5th Birthday coffee morning was a great success with the hall full. The Ringtones were in full voice and with Ian their Director gave us all a delightful performance with solos as well. It's thanks to the Social Committee for all these events and they do a grand job, plus to the ladies, who help generate income from raffles, book sales and at the last one a new fund raiser, the tombola.

Our next meeting is the Christmas Social on Wednesday 12th December, only open to members so please sign up for this so we know how many for catering. The buffet is free as we use profits from raffles, book sales and social events to fund this.

If you have any suggestions to make to improve our U3A please use the Suggestion Box now provided. They will be discussed by the Committee!

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT OCTOBER

A warm welcome to all at our October meeting! I do feel it's good to get back to normal and to our interest group meetings after the summer. There was plenty going on in September and the weather was back to its usual self as I went to the Garden Visit trip to Clumber Walled Garden and it rained! However some of the trips fared much better with glorious sunshine. There is so much to do when you join U3A and I love the quote from a new National Office publication which asks "What if you were told that the solution to loneliness could cost just £20 a year?" It's a place to make new friends and get out and about.

Our social with The Mansfield Male Voice Choir will be over by the time you read this but it promises to be a great evening! Hope you were there to enjoy it! The next very important event is our 5th Birthday Celebrations on Friday 2nd November from 10.00am to 12.00noon. There will be tea/coffee and cake, memorabilia of the last 5 years and our amazing Ringtones will be performing. There will be a raffle and new this time Tombola so hope you all have remembered to bring suitable items for it. There will also be special invited guests. Don't miss it!!

We are setting up a Suggestion Box which will be available at the main meetings for ideas for events/groups or just how to improve your U3A. These can be signed or anonymous but please, be constructive! Take care,

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT SEPTEMBER

Welcome to our August meeting and I hope you all have survived the heatwave! As I write this we have welcome rain for which the keen gardeners amongst you will be very grateful. Our green and pleasant land has certainly turned a different colour. At least for our Interest Groups the dry weather has been a bonus especially if outings have been involved. As always if there is a new Interest Group you would like to see up and running do talk to a our Group Coordinator ( Lynden ) or one of the Committee. Our names and photos are on the Noticeboard as also are snippets of information so do please take a look at it. We are also in the process of analysing the Survey Questionnaires many of you filled in and results will be published soon.

Our next social is on Friday 5th October with the Mansfield Male Voice Choir so please support and buy tickets now on sale. This will be followed on 2nd November with our 5th Birthday celebration/ coffee morning.

Enjoy the holiday month and I hope it is not too tiring if any of you are grandchild minding. Hopefully a time to refresh our batteries!

Pam

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AUGUST

Welcome to you all and apologies for my absence as away again, this time to see family and friends. The weather has been beautiful though perhaps a bit hot, but it has meant our activities have been in the dry! The day at David Austin Rose Gardens stood out as perfect (see later report). It was also really good to see so many of you at the South Pacific social evening with everyone getting into the spirit with decorations and garlands and weren't our Ringtones brilliant!! Thanks to all who were involved with its organisation. Our next Social is on Friday 5th October when the Mansfield Male Voice Choir will be preforming and tickets will be on sale soon.

Last month we had our AGM where you elected a new Committee to run our U3A and manage all that is involved. However we can always do with help so please volunteer your expertise at any time. If there is something not right do tell us and also if it is good we like to hear those comments as well! The Committee names are always in the newsletters and on the exhibition board so you know who we are.

The summer holidays are nearly here and if you are looking after little ones don't get too stressed out. Hopefully also time to recharge our batteries and enjoy life.

Pam

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AGM 2018

The last year has seen Rainworth and District U3A going from strength to strength. Another good year with the membership up from 118 in March 2017 to 132 end March 2018, an increase of 12%. We also seem to have a regular 70-80 member in attendance at our monthly meetings and the hall has a real buzz with a busy welcoming atmosphere on those days. Our speakers over the last year have all been popular especially the amusing ones! It is at these main meetings that members have a chance to check out the Interest Groups’ arrangements and fill their diaries.

The Interest Groups have also expanded and added to the list in the last year are Ten Pin Bowling, Indoor Games and a revamp of Wine Tasting.

Our Socials have been well attended and these included a Prom Night in June, a 50s/60s/70s/evening in October, a Coffee Morning in November, the Christmas Party in December, a games afternoon in February and a Pie and Pea supper in March. We are very lucky to have our Singing Group “The Rainworth Ringtones” perform at many of these and they will again be entertaining us at the next social in June “A South Pacific Experience”. We have further events planned including the Mansfield Male Voice Choir in October, a coffee morning in November and our Christmas Party in December. Dates in 2019 have already been booked. The Programme Cards issued to all members list both the Speakers and on the back the Socials. Autumn of this year will be our 5th Birthday so watch out for news of celebrations.

The Membership Subscription of £20 will stay the same until the end of March 2019. This includes refreshments at main meetings, room hire for all activities, speakers’ fees, monthly newsletters, administration costs and a capitation fee to Third Age Trust. From the latter members receive the Third Age magazine and are covered by their Insurance for U3A activities.

In the last year we have purchased a laptop for Newsletter publishing, a portable CD drive, a lapel microphone compatible with the Rainworth Village Hall system and various commodities to help improve the function of our U3A.

Rainworth & District U3A belongs to two Network Groups, the North Notts Network group which currently covers Ashfield, Dukeries, Forest Town, Mansfield, Rainworth, Sherwood and Sutton-in-Ashfield, and the Nottinghamshire Network which covers the whole County. Both of these from time to time hold Seminars, Workshops and Get-togethers to help progress and exchange ideas to keep us up to date.

On an environmentally friendly campaign we are trying to reduce the number of non-disposable coffee cups we use with members bringing their own mugs.

The continued success of our U3A is down to all of you and thanks to all members for their contribution. However special thanks must go to the following:-

1) The Committee who have always given their full support and do a lot of work behind the scenes. This year we are losing our Vice Chairman and Website Manager Gordon Brown who has done a sterling job for several years. Our website has been mentioned by outsiders as very good and easy to navigate. He also sets up the laptop for the screen photos for our monthly meetings. We are going to miss him! Luckily he is going to continue the Website role but not as a committee member for which we are extremely grateful! Hope to still see you Gordon at our monthly meetings.

2) The Interest Group leaders who take on a vital role as these groups are the life blood of U3A.

3) The newly formed Social Committee set in place over the last year and who now decide, manage and operate our socials. This has made our events so much more professional.

4) The Tea Bar ladies who are so well organised and provide us with the very welcome refreshments.

5) The Fund Raisers notably the Raffle Committee who manage raffles at both monthly meetings and the socials and the Book Sale Ladies who set up at each meeting and just hand in the proceeds, a great task. Remember it is the profits from these that provide the refreshments at the Christmas Party.

6) The Meeters and Greeters who are the first point of call to any visitor/potential new member and look very smart in their sashes.

7) Non committee members who help with signing-in, taking subscriptions and general admin at main meetings.

8) The Village Hall staff especially the Caretaker, Stan who is always so obliging particularly with moving chairs and tables and setting up the audio system and screen/projector.

Finally to all those in the background who help but never let us know who they are!

Sadly in the last year we lost our Vice-Chairman and good friend Jackie Hopper. She is very much missed especially as she would probably have been your next Chairman. As you may know our Constitution dictates that Chairman and Secretary can only hold office for 3 years so this is my last year ( if re-elected of course).

Our U3A is a friendly, active, participative, educational and supportive organisation. We have room for more members so tell your friends so they can come and enjoy the fun. If there is an Interest Group not yet formed that you would like, tell us and we’ll see what we can do!

Looking forward to another successful year for us all

CHAIRMANS REPORT JUNE

A big welcome to all members to the most important meeting of the year, namely the AGM. This is when you vote in a Committee to continue working on your behalf to run our U3A. However if you wish to volunteer your expertise at any time you would be most welcome. We are hoping for another successful year in 2018/9 in which we make new friends, take on new activities and enjoy the learning and camaraderie which we have all gained from by being members.

As you are all probably aware by now there are changes to the Data Protection ( new EU rules) and we are implementing all that is involved. This means you need to put your initials on the signing in sheet to give your consent to photographs being taken of you and used for our newsletter and website.

Our next Social is just a couple of days away on Friday 15th June and this is the "South Pacific Experience" with our very own Ringtones and a fish and chip supper which will be fun! Hope you all have your tickets and look forward to seeing you there ……..Pam

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT MAY

Welcome to all members and visitors to our May meeting which should be educational on the legal side. There are many changes afoot especially with Data Protection of which we will be informing you all in due course.Summer will be on us soon and time to get out and enjoy the many activities we have on offer from Interest Groups to Outings. Catching up with friends and making new ones is important to our health and well being ( proved scientifically) and our Interest Groups are expanding so there should be something for everyone! If not tell us !!

Next month's meeting is our AGM on Wednesday 13th June where you vote in the Committee for the next year. The paperwork for this is available today so please check you have taken a copy and also take one for missing members. Only current members can vote. This important part of the meeting will only take about 20 minutes and then there will be plenty of time for chat, refreshments and Kurling!

Our next Social on Friday 15th June is "South Pacific Experience" with our singing group The Ringtones performing so do get your tickets and come and enjoy an evening out

CHAIRMANS REPORT APRIL

Welcome to all members and visitors to our April Meeting. Spring came in and there are certainly plenty of flowers in bloom and blossom on trees even if we are still in the throes of Winter. Easter certainly was wet but hope you all had a good break.

It was good to see many of you at the Pie and Pea Supper which was most enjoyable and thanks to all who were involved in it's organisation. Our next Social event is "South Pacific Experience" with our very own Ringtones on Friday 15th June so please put in your diaries and get tickets which are on sale. Our social committee are doing a great job so please support them!

Please remember this month is the last time to pay annual subscriptions and also try to bring your own mug for coffee/tea as this helps the environment. Our AGM is the June meeting and do read the Calling Notice in this Newsletter. It looks as if we will have a full Committee but we are always grateful of volunteers to help out.

CHAIRMANS REPORT MARCH

Welcome to all members and visitors to our March meeting. We have certainly had a problematic few weeks with the weather and I do hope you have all come through it unscathed. I have never had so much time at home with events being cancelled!! Whilst writing this I am hoping it is the last of the snow as the four walls are closing in! It is times like this when we realise how much the U3A means to us as a way of getting out and socialising (plus the learning factor of course.) There is an old adage that states "if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb and vice versa" so this means we could have a nice Easter which falls right at the end of this month!!

By the time you read this we will have had two social events. The Tea and Cake afternoon was enjoyed by everyone .Unfortunately I missed it but I gather those who did go really enjoyed it especially Anne’s cakes. Many thanks to Anne and all who helped for the entire organisation involved.

The Pie and Pea Supper on 10th March will have a report next month. Please check the back of your 2018 Programme as all our Social events are listed here.

As an organisation we need to be thinking about how we can help with less disposable items. Please take heed of what has been mentioned so far. We have had discussions about our coffee cups which are not recyclable. If members want to bring their own cups to our meetings that is commendable.

Please remember that 2018/19 Subs are due this month (April is the final time to pay) and then you can keep attending the Interest groups

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FEBRUARY

Welcome all members and visitors to our February meeting and apologies for my absence again (more travelling!). There will be some notable absentees to this meeting as it clashes with the Thoresby holiday. However, we have some lovely dedicated members to look after everything and I am sure all will be well.

Our next social event is before the next main meeting and this is the Pie and Pea Supper. Hope to see many of you there especially as last year the pies were delicious! Please support it as the Social Committee have put in a lot of hard work for these events and they are for YOU!!

Do look at the list of Interest Groups as there must be something to get you out and about at this time of the year when the weather isn't too nice. As always if there is something you are interested in but not yet available there could be others also interested so spread the word and contact Lynden our Group Coordinator to get it set up.

The National Office newsletter is on the notice board, do take a look as it

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT JANUARY 2018

Welcome everyone to the first meeting of the New Year and hope you all had a lovely Christmas with family and friends. A New Year dawns and we already have a brilliant programme of speakers for the monthly meetings plus Social Activities organised. Hope you have picked up the new programme cards. I was really sorry to have missed the Christmas meeting as gather it all went well and was good fun. Thanks to all those who helped to make it so enjoyable.

December was a quiet month with few Interest Groups meeting up so guess it will be back to normal now January is here. A time to get out and meet friends and learn and socialise which is the ethos of U3A. The weather may not be good and the evenings still dark early but we can all share in the activities of our Groups.

Wishing you all a Healthy, Prosperous and Happy 2018

Pam

REPORT DECEMBER 2017

Welcome to you all, to our Christmas Meeting which will be fun with buffet, quiz, and our Ringtones giving their usual delightful performance. The buffet is provided from what we make on the raffles each month and book sales plus any profit from our social events. I am sorry that I cannot be with you as I am off to visit friends in France for a few days.

This year seems to have raced by but by keeping active we can all enjoy ourselves. Our Interest Groups keep expanding and as always if there is something you are keen on but no Group have a word with Lynden our Interest Group Coordinator and we'll see what we can do!

In November we held a very successful coffee morning and it was good to see so many attending. Thanks to Ann for the delicious cakes, the tea ladies for hot drinks, the raffle team, and all other helpers and of course our Ringtones who gave us a great singalong. Our next social event is a Games Afternoon on Monday 12th February when we will have table games and Kurling. That will be followed in March with a Pie and Pea Supper on Saturday 10th March. Please do support these events.

Wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas, see you in the New Year

Chairman’s Message November

Welcome to you all as we go into winter. The clocks have gone back so it is time to join Interest Groups and keep occupied plus a time for meeting friends to overcome the short days and possible gloom.

We had our last Social of the year at the beginning of October. Thanks to all who helped to organise a fun evening and also to those who came and enjoyed themselves.

At our last main meeting in October we asked for helpers in organising these events and thanks to those who came forward (we will be in touch). If any more members would like to take on the social side events please have a word with me or a Committee member.

Our next event is the Coffee Morning on 15th November which is open to all members and non-members so bring your friends and neighbours to see what we have on offer! It will be pay on the door (£2.50) which will include coffee/tea and cake.

The next meeting on the 13th December is the Christmas one but it is only open to members as there will be free light refreshments. It will be a longer morning, starting as usual at 10.00 but continuing until 2.00. There will be entertainment, a quiz and carol singing. Just tick your name on the register if you are attending so we know numbers for catering.

Chairman’s Message October

Welcome to you all as we start true Autumn even if it did feel as Winter had arrived last month! Perhaps now is the time to get out with our Interest Groups and meet friends. We may have some new groups starting so keep an eye on the website and news from our main meetings. If there is an Interest that you are keen on but no Group as such do let our Group Coordinator (Lynden) know and we will try and arrange.

Last month saw the first Kurling morning and we all had fun especially seeing how far OFF the target we could get!! Congratulations to Jim Phillips who had a Certificate as "Tosser of the Day". Thanks must go to Val and her Team for organising the event, to Ann and her Team for the very tasty bacon cobs, the Tea Bar ladies and Raffle team and to all those who attended and had a go. I am sure with practice we will all get to improve so don't despair if you were way off target!

Our next Social (50s/60s/70s/evening 7/10) will have been held by the time you read this so report next month. On Wednesday 15th November we are having a Coffee Morning which is open to everyone so bring your friends and neighbours. Start time 10.00am and there will be hot drinks and cakes.

It is good to see we now have more Meeters and Greeters and if you fancy taking on this role (there is a rota so may only be every 2-3 months) please see Nora.

Chairmans Message September

Welcome to you all and especially to any visitors and prospective new members.

This month starts autumn the season of colours, cold mornings and hopefully warm days. Perhaps better than the soggy summer we have had but it hasn't deterred our Interest Groups who have been out and about enjoying themselves. I was on the trip to Highgrove Gardens (see report) and the poor coach driver had a horrible journey in dark rainy conditions but we had a brilliant day! Just one of many times when it is better not to be at home! Don't be lonely, joining in our groups gets us out, enables us to meet friends and yes, we learn too!

Our next Social is on Wednesday 20th September for "Bakon Kobs and Kurling" and please remember to bring your ticket to exchange for a Bakon Kob. That will be fun and there will be an award for the "Tosser of the Day". Come and find out what it is all about. Then in October we have "Save the Last Dance" a 50s/60s/70s evening on Saturday 7th October, a trip down memory lane.

Also, please remember that the proceeds from our Raffles and Book Table go towards the refreshments we have at the Christmas meeting on Wednesday 13th December so please do support and help make that event great.

We are in the process of planning 2018 meetings and events and it is looking good, so tell your friends and encourage them to join. We are lucky to have our Village Hall as a venue and it will take more members at our meetings. We don't have a waiting list as do some other U3As.

Pam

Chairman’s Message August

A warm welcome to you all!

This month’s meeting is a ‘members’ day with Ian Hibbert and “Gone with the Wind”. If you remember, Ian did something similar last year for us but any one who didn't see him, l know you will enjoy it.

Your new committee are now in place with new roles within the committee to help Rainworth and District U3A move forward and grow stronger for the forthcoming year. Look on the newly located notice board, which is now to be found on the stage, to identify them.

There are some dates for your diary. The first new venture, ‘Bakon Kobs Koffee and Kurling’ is on the 20th September. If you don't fancy having a go still come along and enjoy the fun.

On the 7th October we have the ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’. Tickets for both events are now on sale. More events have been planned so keep a look out for the details!

Don’t forget to check out what our interest groups have on offer and as always if you have any ideas for an interest group please see Lynden who will be pleased to hear your ideas.

Jackie

Chairman’s Message July 2017

Welcome to the July meeting and apologies for my absence. I am away on my travels again.

At the last meeting which was our AGM you elected 11 members to serve on the Committee, all of whom are focused on making your U3A a success. Speak to any of them if you have any points to raise, their names and photos are on the Noticeboard at the front of the hall. Please note its new position which we thought would give you all better access.

The Summer Frolic on 16th June was really enjoyed by many of us and thanks must go to our retiring Social Committee of Linda and Jan plus all the helpers on the evening. We have several more social events coming up starting with Bakon Kobs and Kurling on Wednesday morning 20th September so come and show your expertise as a Tosser! Then 7th October is Save the Last Dance a 50s, 60s, 70s, evening and on November 15th we have a Coffee Morning. Finally for 2017 don't forget our main meeting on 13th December is the Christmas special with entertainment and light refreshments with an extended time to 2.00pm.

Many thanks to all those lovely members who came forward after my request at last meeting for more Meeters and Greeters. This is an important role as you are the first contact for any potential new member and you will get to wear the attractive sash too. Enjoy the summer and hope the school holidays aren't too tiring if you are care minding little ones!

Chairman’s Message June 2017

Welcome everyone to our June meeting which is the most important meeting of the year as it is our AGM. This is when a Committee is voted in by members to continue the good work of last year and follow on with a successful 2017/18. Our U3A belongs to all of us, none of us work alone, so we need continual input from everyone. Hopefully the next year will be another one of interests, learning, friendship and entertainment, all of which we gain from being members of the U3A.

Summer has at last arrived, although I did wonder when, as in the middle of May I "drowned" in heavy rain at Doddington Gardens but two weeks later we had a glorious day at Harlow Carr near Harrogate (all part of the Garden Interest Group).If you are going away on summer holidays, enjoy yourselves and come back refreshed.

Hopefully we will see many of you at our next social, the Summer Frolic, on Friday 16th June which will be a fun evening. Keep the photos/reports coming from your activities to show all our members that we are having a good time! Send to both Elaine for Newsletter and Gordon for website.

REQUEST --We need more volunteers to meet and greet visitors who could be potential new members. Let me know if you are interested. We only need a few more. We could have a rota so that it isn’t the same people every time. This is an important role!!

Pam

Chairman’s Report May 2017

Hello to our members old and new, and to visitors at our monthly meeting. I hope you will enjoy the talk by our speaker, Ian Morgan. Do not forget to have a look at the interest group tables and see if there is anything you may wish to try. We have quite a range to choose from but if there is something you have an interest in and would like to see a new group start. Please have a word with Lynden, the group coordinator. Your suggestions and ideas are very welcome.

Next month is our AGM (where has that year gone?) when we elect committee members and officers for the following year. It is important that as many members attend as this is YOUR U3A and YOUR input is needed so we can continue to work in the best interests of you all.

Please be aware that the photographer, Richard Edwards, will be taking photos during the meeting and also at some interest groups. If you do not wish to have your picture taken please let either him or Lynden know.

Don’t forget that if you have any photos of interest groups or visits please forward them to Elaine our newsletter manager and to Gordon, the website manager. Thanks.

Jackie (Vice Chairperson)

Chairman’s Report April 2017

Welcome to all members and visitors to the April meeting and hopefully you are all enjoying the start of Spring with the colourful flowers and lambs in the fields. Our last social the Pie and Pea Supper went off very well and it was so good to see many of you enjoying yourselves. That's what our U3A is all about!! The next fun night is the Summer Frolic / Prom Night on Friday 16th June and tickets are now on sale so please support. If you haven't paid your subs yet this is the last month to do so otherwise, you cannot attend the Interest Groups as you will not have covered by our Insurance. Group Leaders please check all attendees are paid up. The membership fee is the same price as previous years and runs from 1/4/17 to31/3/18.

The newsletter has grown as you can see, so please send Elaine (our very able Newsletter Editor) all your snippets (info or gossip-we'd love the latter!) so she can fill the extra pages. This means we can print more photos so keep snapping! We have lots of Interest Groups and would love to see more of them in print so those that haven't featured yet now is the time!

Pam

Chairman’s Report March 2017

A warm welcome to everyone at the March meeting. February may be a short month but l am sure it was packed with activities for quite a few of our members from the quiz night to luncheon group to crazy golf and not forgetting the Thoresby Hall holiday. All these activities and more, are available to all our members. If you would like to know more, please speak to Lynden or any committee members. A couple of reminders for you all. Firstly, membership fees are now due. £20 which l think is reasonable. You can enjoy a cuppa and biscuits, the opportunity to join groups and meet old and new friends. The other is that the AGM is being held in the June meeting. The social team have some interesting events coming up, so keep a look out for further information in the newsletter. Finally, a big thank you to Lynden for standing in for Pam at the last meeting l am sure you will agree he did a good job!

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Chairman’s Report January 2017

Welcome to all members and visitors to the February meeting and apologies for my absence as away on our travels again. Hope you are all keeping clear of the ghastly Winter infections and also not staying in at home as we have plenty of Interest Groups to get you out and about and meet friends. We are always open to new groups so please do mention this to Lynden our Group Coordinator who will do his utmost to get it off the ground! (Within reason!).

It's getting towards the end of our financial year so your Subscriptions will be needed for 2017/18 from now until April meeting (latest). This covers the monthly meetings with Speakers, coffee/teas, insurance, etc. so really good value and of course gives you the opportunity to join the Interest Groups.

Our next social event is the Pie and Pea Quiz night on Saturday 4th March so please do put your name down and pick up tickets today. A chance to get out and enjoy ourselves so hope to see many of you there. Our Social team are putting a great night together so am sure it will be fun.

Chairman’s Report December 2016

Welcome everyone to the Christmas meeting which is going to be fun! Our very able Social Team of Linda Tift and Jan Newbury have put together a programme of entertainment which I am sure you will all enjoy. I can’t believe another year is nearly over and I have been your chairman for nearly six months. I do hope that your U3A is keeping you busy and out of the house. We have so many interest groups to keep us all occupied so there shouldn’t be time to be lonely! U3A is about making new friends and keeping our minds active. I expect you all read the news article about the 89 year old widower who applied for a job because he was bored…..why didn’t he join the U3A?

Do please read the notice board as snippets of information will be posted here along with who does what so you can put faces to names. Also with plenty going off this month do send a short report to Elaine our Newsletter Editor for printing in January.

I hope that you all saw our Village Hall on the Gareth Malone “The Choir” ……didn’t it look good?

The Committee would like to wish you all and your families a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. All the best for 2017.

And a message from Jill Pullan

Please donate scraps of knitting wool either enough to knit one row or a whole ball! A lady knits for the Alzheimer’s society and is desperate for knitting wool.

Also a big thank you from The Sherwood Hospital Trust at Kings Mill Hospital.

“Thank you for thinking of our babies on the Neonatal Unit. Your kind donation of knitting is very much appreciated! The babies and staff are very grateful!”

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2016

Welcome to all members and visitors to our November Meeting. Hope you are all enjoying these monthly events as we aim to please!

Do take a look at the notice board as we now have a gallery of photos of the committee and their roles plus Interest Group Leaders so you can recognise us all. There is room for more if new groups start up so as always if you are interested in a topic that is not covered please do suggest to Lyndon, our Group Coordinator, or one of the committee.

Next month is our Christmas meeting which is going to be fun and an extended event to 2.00pm. This will include a buffet lunch for members. This is paid for from the proceeds of sales and raffles so please do keep buying the tickets! Make sure that you have ticked the list to attend.

Hope to see plenty of you at the Christmas Lunch at the Hostess on Wednesday 7th December.

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE OCTOBER 2016

Welcome to all members and visitors to our October meeting. Autumn has begun with a very successful Abba evening on 1st October. It was lovely to see so many of you attending and we all thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment from our very own Rainworth Ringtones with Ian on saxophone. What talent! The supper was terrific and thanks must go to Ann Mills and her band of helpers for organising the evening especially with the catering, along with Gordon and Jim on technical support, the singers of course, Lyndon for running the games and raffle and anyone else who assisted. This just proves that Rainworth U3A is flourishing!!

Please continue to send to Elaine (newsletter) and Gordon (website) any photos you take of events/interest group meetings etc. and reports are always welcome. Your input is very necessary.

The notice board has interesting and relevant information so please do take a look at it. This month there is a list showing Benefits and Services to U3As and individual members. This is more than just a magazine coming from National Office! As always please feel free to approach myself or the Committee with ideas for improvement or new Interest Groups. We are here to serve you, the members.

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2016

“Welcome to all members and any visitors to our September meeting. Our grateful thanks go to Elaine Rangecroft who is our new Newsletter Editor. I am sure she will do a great job but she does need your input! Please do send her your reports and photos from the interest groups so we can all share your experiences. Our thanks must also go to Mary Bramwell who has edited it for 3 years. It is always amazing the skills we have amongst our members!. Hopefully we can get a group to attend. Our next Social Event is the ABBA evening on Friday 1st October ….hope to see many of you there!”

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE AUGUST 2016

Welcome everyone to our meeting and hope you are all enjoying the Summer especially as we have had some nice weather for a change. Our monthly meetings seem to be drawing more members which is good and do spread the word. Our Interest groups are growing and gaining success. There is room for more so please don't hesitate to suggest a new area of interest to Lynden Lowe (Group Coordinator) as there could be other members with similar interests.

The Newsletter has been produced by the same person for a few years and the time has come for the present editor to step down. Most members would agree that it provides useful information and we now need someone to take it over. If you have some computer skills and a little free time, have a word with Mary or one of the other committee members to find out more. There will be help available if needed.

Tickets are now on sale for our next Social Event which is on Saturday 1st October 2016 and is an ABBA evening. It will be fun, a good time to get together and socialise and there will be a buffet and cash bar. Friends and Family are welcome.

Our Website needs some new photos so if you take one during an Interest group do send it to Gordon (email address can be found in the Newsletter). Then it will also be displayed at our monthly meetings.

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE JULY 2016

A warm welcome to old and new members as we look forward to another year. Last month the new committee and officers were duly elected at the AGM and we aim to serve you to the best of our ability, thank you to those were able to attend the meeting. I would like to extend my thanks in particular to Ann Mills for supplying the cakes we enjoyed with coffee, they were very well received and much appreciated. It was a pleasurable morning as we were able to mingle and check out the interest groups.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for further groups please speak to a member of the committee, there are some new ideas in the pipe line, this will add to our every growing variety of options open to our U3A members here at Rainworth. If you have any comments, good or bad, please see a member of the committee and we will do what we can to address it.

On a high note our presence at the ‘Royal Revelry” drew much attention and our display of Royal memorabilia was praised thanks to all involved in both in providing items and also setting up the display

We have more to look forward to later in the year with the ABBA night on the 1st October, more details to follow.

Jackie

Vice Chairman

CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE--JUNE 2016--AGM DAY

Today is an important meeting as it is our AGM and all members need to vote in the Committee. Some of the present committee are standing for re election and there are some new recruits. It is also an opportunity for you all to hear how well Rainworth & District U3A is flourishing and growing and solvent! This means the Annual Subscription will stay the same until the end of March 2018.

As there is no speaker today there will be time over refreshments to talk to the Interest Group Leaders to see what is available for you to enjoy. The more interest groups you join the more friends you will meet. No need to be lonely!